Hope

I am not a hopeful person by nature. In fact, my family sometimes characterizes me as Eeyore. You’ve met him. He expects the absolute worst—and that’s usually what he gets. I come from a long line of card-carrying pessimists and I married an eternal optimist (who sprang from even more dyed-in-the-wool pessimists than I am). It creates an unusual dynamic. There is a tension between my pessimism and his perpetual hopefulness.

When we were dating and making plans to get married, he was in the Army and I was attending college. It seemed like it would be forever before we actually married. He explained to me how to manage. Thanksgiving came first, then Christmas and New Year’s. February brought Ground Hog’s Day as well as the President’s birthdays. March marked the first anniversary of our first date. April ushered in his birthday. Our wedding date was set for May 18th. Although it seems kind of silly, I have never forgotten it. I had not been taught to hope or celebrate. It was the beginning of my education in hope.

I am starting to look for hope everywhere. I am learning to hope in God. We hope that Christmas will be a wonderful time of year. Hope points us back to joy. Every day we have opportunity to celebrate. Let’s hope based on God’s character and faithfulness instead of wishful thinking. God has given us great reason for hope. He sent his son even though we did nothing to deserve it. He gave us Christmas.

Romans 5 opens with these thoughts: Then being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have had access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we glory in the hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory also in afflictions, knowing that affliction works out patience, and patience works out proven character; and proven character, hope. And the hope does not put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us; for we yet being without strength, in due time Christ died for ungodly ones.

This is my hope for the week: that I will hope in God each day knowing that his love has been given to me.